You finally have a well-organized closet with all the key pieces for casual, work, and formal occasions. Now all you need to do is make sure your favorite attire looks fresh. Dry cleaning your clothes is a great way to help keep them in great shape, but not every item in your wardrobe needs to be cleaned after each wear.
How do you decide when a trip to the dry cleaner is necessary? Our guide explains when certain types of clothing need cleaning, so you can easily extend the lifespan of your wardrobe essentials.
Business and formal suits
Suits don’t come into direct contact with your skin, so you don’t always need to dry clean them each time you wear them. That said, there are some distinctions to be made between business and formal suits. For instance, you’ll wear your business suit on a regular basis while you’ll only suit up in your formal wear for special occasions like weddings or black tie events.
When should you Dry Clean them?
- Business suits: After four to five wears
- Formal suits: After each wear (or once a season)
Care tip: Spot clean and brush your suits at home in between the dry cleaning cycle. You’ll be able to get more wear out of these items without needing to wash them as often.
Pants, skirts and dresses
If your dress pants or skirts are made of a stain-repellant material, you can wear them a few times before you need to bring them to the dry cleaner. However, formal dresses will need to be cleaned more often due to their fragile material.
When should you Dry Clean them?
- Dress pants and skirts: After four to five wears
- Formal dresses: After each wear
Care tip: Air out your pants, skirts and dresses by hanging them after you’ve worn them.
Button-down shirts and blouses
Button-down shirts and silk blouses fit close against your skin and absorb your sweat so they’ll require regular trips to the dry cleaner. It’s also a good idea to visit the dry cleaner when you need your shirt pressed because a professional can ensure it gets top treatment.
When should you Dry Clean them?
- Button-down shirts: After three to four wears (or each wear, if the shirt is white)
- Silk blouses: After each wear
Care tip: Ask your dry cleaners not to use starch for your button-down and dress shirts. You can also wear an undershirt to absorb sweat. Both of these tricks will help extend your shirt’s life expectancy.
Other considerations to keep in mind
Of course, these rules aren’t set in stone. In fact, there are other variables that can affect how often you need to visit a dry cleaner.
- Fabrics: Clothing made of wool can be worn more often before they need to be cleaned. Delicate fabrics like cashmere and silk are vulnerable to sweat, so they’ll need more frequent care.
- Frequency of wear: If you wear your suit to work almost every day, it can end up slightly wrinkled or stained over time. Same goes for any attire you wear on a regular basis.
- Weather and temperature conditions: Working in a warm locale like downtown LA? Your clothes will absorb more sweat and—unpleasant as it is to think about—more odors.
- Stains: While you can pre-treat a stain, there are some stubborn residues that call for a professional touch.
- Important events: You’ll need to look your best if you’re attending an upcoming wedding or client meeting. Professional treatment will ensure that you enter a room in an outfit that will make the right impression.
The key to a happy closet is to ensure your important pieces stay spotless and clean for as long as possible. That way, you can get the most out of your wardrobe essentials.
Not sure which clothes should be dry cleaned? Check out our guide to learn which items need professional care and which ones you can take care of at home.
If you have items that need to be dry cleaned, schedule a pickup with us here. We pick up, professionally clean, and deliver your dry cleaning and laundry straight to your door, 7 days a week.
Photos: All About Space / Shutterstock.com, Sveta Yaroshuk / Shutterstock.com, WorldWide / Shutterstock.com, nnattalli / Shutterstock.com
